Oldcar Thanks for all the advice. I am curious as to what you did regarding disc brakes. did you lower the car at all? Thanks

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

I used 75-80 Ford Granada spindles which will lower front end by about 2 inchs.I had to purchase a 2 inch lowering block kit to level it.There are kits out there that retain the stock spindles.What were you planning to use?

  

Thanks Oldcar Mark. I am planning to get a kit using the Grenada spindles. I want to lower the car a modest amount but I'm not sure how much. The car came with a ECK block and ECK heads but not installed so I would have to guess what the stock height is. I have seen kits advertised that offer lowering spindles but I have also read, as you mentioned, that the Grenada spindles themselves will lower the car. I have thought of new springs as well, but don't want to get carried away and build a low-rider by mistake. I'm not sure about the condition of the stock springs and would like to put it back together only once, and before I put the engine in. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

Mark;

I used the "Drop N' Stop" kit with the 2&1/2" dropped Granada spindles. If I remember right, I had new springs, but when we installed them, the suspension was WAY to stiff. We had to cut the springs 1&1/2 turns to get any decent travel in the front end. I really love the stance the car has, but for up here in Maine, I think it's about 1" too low. I have a rear mounted power R&P steering set-up that sits a bit low. If it wasn't for that, I'd be fine.

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Ron, the Drop'nStop kit is one that I've been looking at. They have a 1 1/2 inch drop kit don't they. So what was the overall drop with the 2 1/2" dropped spindle and the cut springs? Did you buy the R&P kit or put it together yourself? A fellow near me put a kit together himself for his '54 convertible and it looks pretty good. I've been to Maine a couple of times and two things really stood out. Every house on the coast looks like a heritage house and there is a snow plow parked in the driveway of every house away from the coast. Thanks

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

Mark;

Dave Gulley is the new owner of Drop N Stop. I'm pretty sure you can get the 1&1/2" drop kit from him still, but best to call and talk to him. I put the kit in about 4 years ago when Dick Cohen (the founder) was still around. I just bought a set of braided stainless front brake lines from Dave to replace the rubber ones that came in the kit because they were rubbing on the frame.

The power R&P set-up came from Rick Wurth ("Wurthit Designs") who is longer in the power steering business. The set up was very difficult to install and whern it was all said and done, the entire rack had to be shimmed downward because the engine oil pump rested squarely on the dust boot of the rack.

I don't know if you have a standard or automatic transmission, but if you have an automatic, Borgenson and maybe one or two other companies are making a power steering box for the 50's Ford cars, but they won't work with factory clutch linkage. A problem for me since I have the T-5 in the car.

Hope this helps

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Thanks Ron. I just put the Borgeson steering box in last week; its mounted but not hooked up to anything yet because I still need to redo the rest of the steering including the steering column. I have a manual shift car so I will have to fabricate a hydraulic clutch linkage. I've seen some that have been done on Mustangs and some Ford pickups had the hydraulic clutch as well. I'm leaning towards a T-5 ; I put one in my '56 M100 last spring and I love it. I will give Drop'n Stop a call when I get the funds together.

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

Mark;

Please keep me posted on your efforts to make the hydraulic clutch set-up. You can send me a PM and maybe some pictures as you progress. I would like to change over to the Borgenson box on my 56 and get rid of the power rack. It works fine, it just sits way to low.

Rono.

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Will do Ron, but it looks like I'll do more learning from you than you from me. You'll have to be patient because I have a lot to do. These old cars are like doing a jig saw puzzle. As soon as you find one piece you realize you need seven other pieces first.

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

That's true, but that's part of the fun of it! The trick is not to get in a hurry or frustrated and throw up your hands and walk away

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID